Hosting 101: dinner party survival

By
Shelly Horton

Hosting 101: dinner party survival

Dinner parties are back in vogue and whether you want to host an elegant affair or a more rustic homely gathering there are a few tips to make sure it runs smoothly.

1. Preparation Chris Morrison, leading sommellier and GH Mumm ambassador, believes the more you prepare ahead of time the more smoothly the dinner party will run. ‘‘I want to spend as much time as possible with people when they come to my house,’’ he said. ‘‘So to do that I get as much done prior, even the day before.’’

2. Keep the food simple Food writer Kate Gibbs’ top tip is to not over stretch yourself. Serve a dish you’ve done before and know how to do well. ‘‘Definitely keep it simple. You want to be having fun and if you’re stressing about some sort of elaborate feast then no-one is going to have fun,’’ she said.

3. Get the right mix of people Stuart Gregor, founder and creator of Liquid Ideas knows the key to a great dinner party is the people. ‘‘You can have the greatest wine and the most delicious food of all time but if you’re surrounded by a pack of dribblers, it’s one of the worst nights imaginable.’’